Native or noxious? Distinguishing scentless chamomile from Porter Aster. By Irene Shonle

The petite and charming Porter aster (Aster porteri or Symphotrichum porteri) is out in profusion right now.   This is a lovely, late-blooming native plant.

Porter aster, a late-blooming native plant

There is another less-friendly white daisy that is also  blooming right now that some people confuse with Porter aster – this is the State List B noxious weed called Scentless chamomile (Matricaria perforata or Tripleurospermum inodorum).  This weed  is rapidly increasing in population in our mountain counties, forming monocultures in places like Winter Park, Fraser, Nederland, and many other locations. The reason it can spread so fast is that in a single year, one plant can produce up to 300,000 seeds! http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/ag_Conservation/CBON/1251621067095.  I swear that it often seems as though each one of those seeds germinates and becomes a plant.  Yikes!  Please remove it from your property if you have it – and the task will be MUCH easier if you do it early in the game, before the exponential explosion occurs.

When to plant wildflowers? by Tina Ligon

It has been a great wildflower year here in the Colorado foothills. Fall is a great time to plant seed for next year's crop of flowers. Come and learn all about collecting wildflower seed and how to plant for success for next year.

Class on Sept 4^th, 6:30 pm Exhibit Barn, $5.00:  The fall garden: Collecting/sowing wildflower seeds and ideas for fall color.  Fall is the best time to collect and sow wildflower seeds, but it’s not always that easy to figure out how to do it. We’ll include some hands-on activities in the garden if the weather holds; dress warmly.  Class will also give some ideas for fall color in your mountain garden. Call to reserve your spot - 303-582-9106

CSU Extension Gilpin County

230 Norton Drive, Black Hawk, CO 80422  

303-582-9106   

Mother Nature puts together the best combinations!